Poker players make prop bets as often as they play poker. Sometimes they go beyond the permitted and play with death. So where from do they take a will to jump into the shark tank, or lose ten kilos putting their life on the line.

Life is so short, why do we need more fear and restrictions? We over valuate our fears – it is in our revolution. Man is not running in the jungles or savannas, he has nothing to fear of. The instinct of self-preservation hasn’t been lost. It very often doesn’t give us an opportunity to jump with a parachute or to run a marathon.

Many afraid of public speaking or going to North Korea. These fears are too big in our heads as well. But life could be simpler and more entertaining. Some pros prove it by making prop bets on all the possible and impossible stuff.

However, Antonio Esfendiari’s ban from PCA Main Event 2016 isn’t about fear…

Went to pee and got banned

Esfandiari and famous semi-pro Bill Perkins made a prop bet about Antonio being able to only lunge during 48 wherever he must go.

Wherever he should go, he must lunge. The prop bet took place during the Main Event.

Lunging can be quite difficult, even without the additional weight. Especially if one wasn’t using this exercise in the gym. And if you must do that all the time… It is very painful.

So when Antonio wanted to pee he decided against lunging and went to the bottle while sitting at the poker table. He went for cock and did it. Nobody could see anything but it wasn’t a pleasant experience for people sitting there.

That’s why $1,000,000 One Drop champed got the tournament ban.

From the other hand, Esfandiari won the bet and big money with it (we don’t know how much). But did Perkins really lose here?

Why would anyone jump to sharks for $1,000?

There are lots of these stories, prop bets are being made all the time. Two years ago some guy named Freddie Torres made a jump to the pool with sharks. For just $1,000.

One sees picture like this, right?

Nope, sharks weren’t big, but they all give a grate doze of fear if you come close. It was a prop bet with a friend. Torres went all-in right away:

“I saw an aquarium and instacalled: took my T-shirt off and went for it”

Torres did it. So did one other player in 2008. He reached the floor of the pool… and went to the side of the pool successfully. He won a bet against Tom Dwan for $5,000.

Do you remember prop bet of Ted Forrest and Mike Matusow about former being able to lose 20 kilos in two months? Forrest wasn’t that fat, and to lose 20 kilos – that is beyond real for most people.

Forrest did it. Matusow said: he either dies; either loses a leg or an arm. And there was a condition against amputation in the bet! Sounds awful, but it could have come to this.

The main question: WHY?!

Why to take a risk? Why humiliate yourself? Why o do all this? These are poker players! When they have the best hand, the bet; when they see EV+ situation, they bet.

Besides, there is a pleasant bonus in tens, hundreds and sometimes millions of dollars (Ted Forrest won $2 million) and a taste of victory.